Today we’d like to introduce you to Gentry Clark.
Gentry, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always loved robotics. One of my favorite things to do as a toddler was watch VHS tapes of the British TV show Robot Wars, which my dad recorded for me. The top of my fourth birthday cake even featured a picture of my favorite robot from the show. Back then, I was mainly excited by the spectacle of two giant remote-controlled killing machines duking it out in an arena of bullet-proof plastic and steel.
Over the years, my love for watching robots kill each other developed a general interest in robotics engineering, and science. Growing up as a homeschooler, I had the freedom to personalize my activities – I spent most of my academic time studying science and technology. I even created some designs for my own combat robots.
In college, I’ve gotten the chance to take part in hands-on robots activities. I joined the Rice Robotics Club last year and started a project to build small combat robots. Enough people joined that it became one of the club’s main focuses. This year, I’m the club president, and I’m looking to expand our reach to include areas of robotics we’ve never touched before. I recently started an aerial drone design project for applications in the engineering industry. I’m greatly excited about all of the work we’re doing at the Rice Robotics Club, and I look forward to being able to lead the group for as long as I can.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The greatest challenge I’ve faced has been my own fear of the unknown. While I had a small amount of experience leading science competition teams during my high school years, those responsibilities paled in comparison with the requirements of leading a college robotics team. Rice presented me with situations in which my decisions could make or break my team’s future. This experience was new for me, and it was intimidating at first. It sometimes still is.
I’m actually naturally reserved. I’ve never relished the idea of making important, gutsy decisions with long-lasting implications for many other people. I especially struggle in situations in which I don’t feel like I have sufficient information to make effective judgments. But I’ve learned to simply take a deep breath and do what needs to be done. Experience leading the Robotics Club and other groups in college has helped me in this regard. But I suspect I’ll always face resistance in the form of self-doubt and second-guessing.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Rice Robotics Club – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
The Rice Robotics Club is a Rice University Club dedicated to pursuing exciting robotics projects. We are based in the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK), a high-tech prototyping space with resources including (but not nearly limited to) CNC machines, laser cutters, 3D printers, and powerful CAD and FEA software. Through hands-on work, we aim to provide our members with valuable technical knowledge, leadership skills, and project management experience. In the past, we have placed nationally in competitions like VEX. We now pursue a variety of projects stemming from faculty research, suggestions from our faculty mentors, and our own interests.
Currently, the club oversees three main projects – combat robotics, drone design, and building a robotic foosball table.
Our combat robotics team is dedicated to building small, remote-controlled machines to participate in competitions around the country. We are currently designing and building two robots – one with a passive front wedge to drive underneath and control opponents, and one “melty brain” robot in which the entire chassis spins at several thousand rpm to bludgeon opponents into submission.
Our new drone design project is to create an unmanned robot for applications in the engineering industry. We will be working with industry representatives to identify needs for drone technology and then designing a product that companies will want to develop to meet those needs.
Our robotic foosball table group is modifying a foosball table so that it can play either against itself or against a human opponent. The table will use machine vision to track the motion of the ball and use custom-designed mechanisms to control the motions of the roll pins.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We’re mainly focused on seeing our current projects through to the end. But new opportunities arise every semester. We may end up deciding to pursue an entirely different project in the future.
Contact Info:
- Address: 6100 Main St. MS 390 Houston, TX 77005
- Phone: 512-705-4540
- Email: riceroboticsclub@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ricerobotics/
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